Improvement in bee-hives



PATENT CEEICE.

WILLIAM M. HENRY, OF LEO, INDIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN BEE-HIVES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 117,539, dated August1, 1871.

. To all whom it may concern:

provement in bee-hives; and consists in the arrangement of the frames,hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 represents a vertical section ofthe hive taken on the line w a' of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectiontaken on the line y y.

Similar letters ofreference indicate corresponding parts.

A is the hive, made of wood, and of suitable size and proportion, oneside of which is hinged and swings open so as to expose the interior andallow of the removal of the honey-frames and boxes. The top of the hiveis also hinged, and is fastened down by hooks, as seen in the drawing. Bare the honey-frames; C, the honeyboxes. I) represents ventilators,which revolve on central screw-pivots, each having one or more orificeswhich register with iiy-holes E, which ventilators are made (by turningor revolving them) to either allow the bees to pass through, or in andout, or close the holes. lIhe ventilators in the upper portion of thehive have a screened orifice, which allows air to enter, but excludesthe bee. The friction of the ventilator on the outside of the hive issufficient to hold it in any desired position. The honey-frames B aremade with double-beveled cross-bars, as seen in the drawing, and placedside by side in an upright position. The lower cross-rails F of each ofthe frames is narrower than the uprights, as seen in Fig. 1, and theupper cross-rails of every alternate frame are dropped down, as seen inthe same figure, which allows a free passage upward between the framesnot only for the bees but for ventilation. lThe honey-boxes have slatbottoms through which the bees gain entrance to them. By chopping downthe upper cross-slats of every other frame the bees, theV heat, and theair are allowed free access to the honey-boxes. Ii is theentrance-platform, and l is the main bee-entran ce. J representsair-spaces between the sides of the hive and the honey-frames. Outsideof the hon eyboXes there are also open'spaces, as seen at k k. The slatsof the bottoms of the honey-boxes correspond with and cover the toprails. of the alternate frames. The bees by this arrangement areprevented from attaching the comb formed in the honey-boxes to the railsof the frames. The hive is so ventilated and the frames are soconstructed and arranged with regard` to each other that free access isgiven to every portion of the hive, and the interior is kept at an eventemperature. v .y

` Having thus described my invention, ll claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent- The arrangement of the frames B, or droppingdown the upper rail Vof each alternate `frame, substantially as and forthe purposes shown and described.

WILLIAM M. HENRY.

Witnesses JOHN B. MAGER,

C. KNoRR.

